Hoop



- H. REINHARD AND J. C. SGHMITT.

HOOP.

Patented June 14, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Eoor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14,1921.

Application filed September 11, 1920. Serial No. 409,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT REINHARD and J OHN C. SoHMrrT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoops, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of our specification.

Our invention'relates to hoops or bands for use on barrels and the like; the invention having for its object the provision of a construction which will provide firm gripping relation with the barrel or other article to which the hoop or'band is applied; the construction being such that the use of nails or other separate fastening elements is entirely eliminated.

Th invention is exemplified in the nature of a barrel hoop which is provided with a plurality of partially severed prongs or barbs so arranged as to permit the hoop to be readilydriven into place on the barrel, when the prongs or barbs are adapted to be forced into the wood or fiber of the barrel or other article about which the hoop or band is placed; the prongs or barbs being so formed as not to interfere with the sliding or forcing of the hoop into place and subsequent accidental removal of the hoop or band is made impossible; while at the same time the use-of nails or other independent fasteners is eliminated and there fore the likelihood of injury and possible blood poisoning resulting from scratches or cuts caused by protruding nails is entirely obviated. Furthermore, with our improved construction the expense of nails or separate fastening means and the time involved in nailing a hoop in place is greatly reduced so that a material saving is effected in the employment of our improved hook or band.

- The objects and advantages of our 1mproved construction will be more readily comprehended from the detailed descriptlon of the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a persipeotive view of our improved hoop or ban Fi 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the hue 2-2-of Fig. 1.

F1g. 3 is a detail view, partially in section, of portions of the cutting kiies or blanking tools whereby the prongs or barbs are cut or partially severed.

Fig. 4 1s a detailview of portions ofthe forming dies whereby the partially severed prongs or barbs are bent outwardly and the tlps or free ends thereof bent inwardly.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the female or forming block shown inFig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates various configurations that may be given to the prongs or barbs.

In the particular exemplification, our invention is disclosed in the nature of a barrel hoop formed of suitable sheet metal bent nto hoop form, as shown at 10 in Fig. 1, with the ends secured together in any suitable manner as for example by the usual rivets shown at 11 in Fig. 1; the blank or sheet metal being cut to length so as to rovide a hoop or band of the desired diameter or size. After the hoop or band has been formed, it is provided at various points throughout the circumference, and preferably intermediate of the edges of the band, with the prongs or barbs 12, which are shown preferably arranged in pairs and disposed in opposite directions; the barbs or prongs constituting integral portions of the band or hoop; being formed by punching out certain portions of the band or hoop so that one end of each barb or prong remains uncut or integral with the band or hoop, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The prongs or barbs may be given any desired configuration as shown in Fig. 6, and preferably terminate in a single point which is adapted to be bent backward or disposed toward the opening 13 caused by the partial severance of the metal constituting the prongs or barbs, thus permitting the tip or point 14 to pass through the opening 13 in the band or hoop and to be driven into the barrel. With the tips or points of the barbs or prongs driven into the barrel, the hoop will be firmly held in place and the use of nails or separate fasteners, as has heretofore been the practice, is entirely eliminated.

As an illustration of the manner of forming the barbs or prongs 12, we have disclosed in Fig. 3 a set of blanking or cutting dies comprising the male member or die 15 and the female member or die 16; the latter being provided with suitable matrices or openings at 17, 17 adapted to receive the cuttlng portions or complementary extensions 18, 18 of the male member. The extensions or cutting portions 18, as well as the openings 17 in the exemplification, are preferably triangular in cross-section so as to provide the triangulated prong or barb shown in Fig. 1; the extensions or cutting portions 18 being merely provided with two cutting sides or edges so as to only partially sever the mate rial or hoop which is placed between the male and female die in such position that the female die will be disposed on the outer side or circumference of the band or hoop, so that the severed metal will be forced toward the outer side or circumference .of the band or hoop in the manner shown in the drawing. The particular dies disclosed in Fig. 3 are adapted to provide a pair of barbs or prongs 12 with each operation of the dies, thus enabling a series of prongs or barbs, arranged in pairs, to be formed at predetermined points throughout the circumference of the band or hoop, but with the severed points of each pair, initially disposed in opposite directions.

After the prongs or barbs have been cut by the dies 15 and 16 as just described, the next operation. consists in properly bending the severed metal sufficiently outward and at the same time bending the tips or ends 14: of each prong or barb backwardly or inwardly into the position more clearly shown in Fig. 2. This operation may be performed by what may be termed the forming dies shown in Fig. 4 and comprising the male member 19 and female member or block 20; the latter being shown provided with matrices or sockets 21 of somewhat less transverse width than the length of the severed metal constituting the barb or prong 12. At a point intermediate of the ends of the matrices or sockets 21, the female block or die 20 is provided with a shallow socket or depression as at 22 see Fig. 5, which is adapted to receive the tips 11 of the severed metal constituting the prongs or barbs 12. The

- male die or member 19, is provided with extensions or portions 23, correlated to the main sockets or matrices 21 of the female block or die. Upon placing the hoop or band with the severed portions in register with the matrices and then forcing the male die downwardly on the inside of the hoop, the severed portion of metal will be forced downwardly and outwardly into the main sockets 21, while the points or tips of the severed portions, which extend into the sockets 22,

will be bent upwardly adjacent the sides of the extensions 23 of the male member so that the tips or points will be disposed backwardly or inwardly toward the openings caused by the partially severed metal, but not sufficiently inward to extend through the openings, namely 1nto the position shown in ft is apparent that the hoop or band may be provided with any number of prongs or barbs desired and arranged at suitable distances apart.

After the hoop or band has been provided with the prongs or barbs as just described it is then ready for use and may be readily inserted or slipped into place, as the tips of the barbs are initially insufficiently retracted, position not to interfere with the sliding of the hoop into place; the hoop having been forced into binding relation with the barrel, the prongs or barbs are then forced downwardly by hammer blows which will force the tips or bent ends 14: of the barbs into the wood and form a firm grip on the barrel which will prevent any possible movement of the hoop.

On the other hand, if occasion should require, the hoopv to be removed, this can be accomplished with a suitable implement which may be forced beneath the tip of the barb or prong and the latter pried loose; while accidental removal will beimpossible.

With our improved construction the possibility of penetrating the barrel, as is often the case where nails are employed, is made impossible, so that injury to the barrel contents is thus also obviated.

We have shown and described the prongs or barbs '12 as arranged in pairs, with the prongs of each pair disposed in the opposite direction, but it is apparent that they need not be arranged in this manner; and while the operation of cutting and forming the prongs or barbs has been described as preferably performed after the hoop or band is formed, this operation may be accomplished before the band or strip of metal has been bowed into hoop form, although we believe other method of operation to be prefer- With our improved construction, a more safe and labor-saving hoop or band is not only provided, but a hoop is produced which is adapted .to withstand rough usage and which will maintain a firm grip on the barrel; and while the construction shown and described is believed to be the best embodiment of the invention, .modifications may be made in. certain details without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention, it being also evident that the invention is equally applicable to bandsfor use on boxes or other articles; the invention having been shown and described as especially adapted to barrel-hoops.

What we claim is A hoop of the character described, composed of sheet metal, with portions of the metal partially severed in a triangulated openings formed by said partially severed manner so as to provide a plurality of outmetal to constitute ing ortions.-

Wardly bent prongs arranged in pairs, with RO T R INHARD. the apices of the prongs ofeach pair initially JOHN C. SCHLHTT.

5 disposed in opposite directions, the prongs Witnesses:

being bent at an intermediate point so as F. A. From to have the free ends disposed toward the G. Harman. 

